BOOGIE-WOOGIE BUGLE GIRLS A Musical Book By Craig Sodaro Music and Lyrics by Stephen Murray Performance Rights It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy or reproduce this script in any manner or to perform this play without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge Publishing Co., Inc. Call the publisher for additional scripts and further licensing information. The author’s name must appear on all programs and advertising with the notice: “Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co., Venice, FL.” PUBLISHED BY ELDRIDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY Venice, FL 34284 © 2001 by Craig Sodaro and Stephen Murray Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 2 STORY OF THE PLAY While World War II rages, the Bugle sisters, Betty, Ruthie, and Sissy, turn their Grandpa Buddy’s Seaside Hotel into the Star- Spangled Canteen where sailors and soldiers can relax, eat, and dance. Not only do they want to help the war effort, but they want to save the Seaside from the hands of ruthless businessman Skylar Schutt who intends to buy the Florida hotel for back taxes. But when Schutt accuses Buddy Bugle of being a German spy, the girls – with a little help from the Ladies’ League for Coastal Defense – declare all out war. And it isn’t long before a platoon of spies surfaces! It seems everybody becomes suspicious of everyone else until a nighttime reconnaissance mission traps the real traitor. Terrific songs, many patriotic, many humorous, and many with that upbeat harmonizing unique to that wonderful bygone era, make this show a red, white and blue winner! Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 3 CAST OF CHARACTERS (10 m, 17 w, extras as desired) BUDDY BUGLES: An old vaudeville star, about 62. SKYLAR SCHUTT: Businessman, about 25. CLARABETH SHAPELY: Skylar’s “secretary,” about 20. BETTY BUGLE: Buddy’s oldest granddaughter, about 21. RUTHIE BUGLE: Another granddaughter, 19. SISSY BUGLE: A third granddaughter, 15. MARIAH: Housekeeper, about 50. BOBBY BUGLE: Buddy’s grandson, a soldier, 23. HERMOINE WASHINGTON: Head of the Ladies’ League for Coastal Defense, about 50. GERTRUDE JEFFERSON: Another member, about 45. MARGARET ADAMS: Another member, about 45. ESTELLE LINCOLN: Another member, about 50. LORETTA: A friend of the Bugle girls, about 19. GAYLE: Another friend, about 19. LEO McCOY: A hillbilly singer, about 40. PATSY McCOY: His wife, about 40. PEGGY McCOY: Their daughter, about 16. CHARLIE CAMERON: A sailor, 20s. WILLIE MAZOTTI: Another sailor, 20s. STINKY SAILORS: Another, 20s. B.J.: Another sailor, 20s. BEULAH BENNS: Local law officer, 30s. NAN GIBBONS: A freelance writer, 20s. SAMMY SMITH: A civilian, 20s. KITTY KRAMER: Sammy’s bride, 20s. FREDDY BUTTERS: Buddy’s vaudeville partner, about 65. BABS DONOVAN: A record company executive, 30s. EXTRAS: Male and female service personnel. Radio announcements (male voice) can be pre-taped. Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 4 SETTING The lobby of the Seaside Hotel, summer, 1943. The lobby is dominated by French doors USC. Through the open doors we see a terrace, railing, and the horizon beyond. A few palm trees can be seen stretching in the distance. An arched entrance USR serves as the main entrance to the hotel. Wing entrance SL leads to rooms, while wing entrances DSR lead to kitchen, dining room, and game room. Traditional hotel desk, complete with bell, mailboxes, and rotary dial phone, stands USL. Raised platform or small stage stands against wall, SR. Hanging behind stage is a poster of “Bugle and Butters,” a vaudeville team. Small couch sits SL facing stage, with two chairs facing the couch at SC. Other chairs sit against the walls here and there as found in any lobby. Posters advertising war bonds should decorate the walls along with a large map of the world. Small flags dot the map indicating where Bobby has been stationed --U.S.,England, North Africa. SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT I Scene 1: Lobby of the Seaside Hotel, summer, 1943. Scene 2: Four days later. Scene 3: The following night. Scene 4: The following day. ACT II Scene 1: That night. Scene 2: Later that night, 11:45 p.m. Scene 3: The following night. Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 5 PROPS BUDDY: Cane for dancing. CLARABETH: Box of chocolates, notebook, pistol. MARIAH: Broom, dust cloth, patriotic outfit. BETTY: Tablet, robe, curlers, slippers. RUTHIE: Tablet, robe, curlers, slippers. SISSY: Tablet, telegram, photo album, robe, curlers, slippers. BOBBY: Army fatigues, paper, pen, sling for arm. LORETTA and GAYLE: Large sign reading “Seaside Canteen...”, plates of sandwiches, letter, large heavy suitcases. HERMOINE: Large purse with nightstick, handcuffs, length of rope; money for card bets; Statue of Liberty costume; note cards with questions; camouflage outfit. GERTRUDE: Money for card bets; camouflage outfit LEO: Hillbilly clothes, rope, gag. PATSY: Hillbilly clothes, washboard, rope and gag. PEGGY: Hillbilly clothes, tambourine, rope and gag. BEULAH: Nazi flag, telegram. NAN: Camera with case. SAMMY: Ill-fitting civilian clothes, money (change), watch, marriage license. KITTY: Watch. ESTELLE: Patriotic costume, apple pie, pillow, chair cover, camouflage outfit. GERTRUDE: Patriotic costume, kazoo, camouflage outfit. FREDDY: Raincoat, fedora, dark glasses, small pebble, jacket, tattoo on arm. BABS: Small purse containing two dollar bills. MISCELLANEOUS: At lobby desk: Pen, guest book; men’s driving gloves; Bobby’s letter; radio; paper, markers, stapler and other desk supplies; donation can. At food table: Tablecloth; box which holds napkins, plates, etc; coffee urn, punch bowl and cups; ; cash box of money; small paper sandwich bag. Elsewhere: Red, white and blue decorations; posters for war bonds; “Bugle and Butters” poster; decks of cards, record player; pillow; chair cover. Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 6 MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Scene 1 Intro/My Buddy (Buddy) Lock, Stock, and Barrel (Skylar) Can You Hear Me? (Ruthie, Betty, and Sissy) Scene 2 He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Clarabeth) I Can’t Wait to Get Home (Bobby) That 6:30 Train (Ruthie, Betty, and Sissy) Scene 3 Mr. Lucky (Leo, Patsy and Peggy) Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Mariah, Loretta, Gayle and Girls) Scene 4 100% All-American (Ruthie, Betty, Sissy and Ensemble) ACT II Scene 1 Chin Up, Spirits High (Ruthie, Betty, and Sissy) My Wife Can’t Cook (Leo, Patsy and Peggy) Seven Cups of Coffee (Ruthie, Betty, and Sissy) Scene 2 My Buddy (Buddy and Freddy) Make a Little Noise (Ruthie, Betty, Sissy and Ensemble) We Only Just Said Howdy (Leo, Patsy and Peggy) Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls (Ruthie, Betty, and Sissy with Bobby and Ensemble) Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 7 Scene 1 SONG #1 – INTRODUCTION/MY BUDDY (AT RISE: The lobby of the Seaside Hotel, summer, 1943. BUDDY sings and dances to “My Buddy.” SKYLAR SCHUTT leans against the lobby desk, while CLARABETH lounges on the couch selecting chocolates from a box of candy.) BUDDY: (Sings.) WHEN WE’RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, MY BUDDY AND ME. WE’RE ABOUT AS HAPPY AS TWO PEOPLE CAN BE. SURE, WE HAVEN’T GOT THE THINGS THAT MONEY CAN BUY. BUT AT LEAST I HAVE MY B-U-D-D-Y. I DON’T HAVE A MANSION I DON’T HAVE A YACHT LOTS OF NOTHING IS WHAT I’VE GOT. THERE ISN’T MUCH THAT I CALL MINE BUT I’VE GOT MY BUDDY AND THAT SUITS ME FINE. BUT I’VE GOT MY BUDDY AND THAT SUITS ME FINE. BUDDY: (Following verse, still dancing.) Did I ever tell you I was in vaudeville? SKYLAR: Yes, Mr. Bugle. BUDDY: Bugle and Butters, the team to beat! If you don’t laugh at their jokes, you’ll be dazzled by their feet! SKYLAR: Yeah? Well, I can see why you’re a has-been. CLARABETH: Shut up, Skylar! I like it! SKYLAR: (Grabbing chocolates from HER.) Easy on the bon-bons, Baby. CLARABETH: Hey! SKYLAR: You’d use up all our ration points in a week if I let you! (BUDDY starts to sing a second verse of the song but SKYLAR, impatient, claps loudly and makes CLARABETH stand up.) Great, great! Now can we talk business? BUDDY: The only business I know is show business! SKYLAR: From the looks of things you ain’t kiddin’! You ever get anybody to stay in this old rat hole? BUDDY: Oh, once in a while. Folks lose their way sometimes on the way to Miami on account of that sign I hung up by the highway. SKYLAR: What sign’s that? Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girls 8 BUDDY: The one that says, “Welcome to Miami Beach.” SKYLAR: You can’t do that! This is thirty miles north of Miami. We ain’t near Miami Beach. BUDDY: Nobody’s said a thing yet. SKYLAR: Look, Pops, I own Skinner Mortgage and Realty Company in Miami. I also own the Miami Bongo Club and a couple of other places around town. I’ve been meaning to expand my horizons, and that’s why I’m making you this offer. BUDDY: But Mr. Skinner ... SKYLAR: Schutt. BUDDY: Shoot what? Are you a hunter? SKYLAR: My name’s Mr. Schutt. Skylar Schutt. BUDDY: Oh, pleased to meet you. (Shakes SKYLAR’S hand.) SKYLAR: (Cordially.) The pleasure’s all mine. (Realizing what HE’S doing, he breaks off shaking hands, furiously.) Would you stop all this nonsense and listen to me! BUDDY: (Cleans HIS ears with his little finger, then ...) All right, I’m listening! SKYLAR: I’ll give you a thousand bucks for this dump. Take it or leave it. BUDDY: I’m afraid I’ll have to leave it. CLARABETH: We’ll offer fifteen hundred! SKYLAR: Clarabeth! BUDDY: Oh, I can’t sell for that much. CLARABETH: Two thousand! (SKYLAR puts his hand over HER mouth and shoos her behind him.) SKYLAR: I plead temporary insanity on the part of my secretary, Miss Shapely.